Chain tightener



Aug. 4, 1936.' c. M. I IVINGSTQN CHAIN TIGHTENER Filed Jan. 18, 1955 AA L IQ- uns' INVENTOR ORNEY Patented Aug.` 4, 1936 U l TED STATES PATE OFFICE CHAIN TIGHTENER Charlie M. Livingston,

Tulsa, Okla., assigner to The J. E. Shaer Company, Tulsa, Okla., a co-partnership composed of J. E. Shaffer an J. L. Smith Application January 18, 1935, Serial No. 2,429

3 Claims.

vide a chain tightener having a body through 5 which one portion of a load tightening chain may be passed without feeding the end through the body, thereby allowing the application of the body to the chain at a point spaced from its end.

A further object is to provide a chain tightener with a chain receiving chamber extending entirely through the same in communication with a narrower chamber extending the full length of the body and entirely through o-ne side of the body, thereby allowing the operator to easily feed the end of the chain through the body or a portion of a bight of a chain if desired.

A further object is to provide one end of the body with a shackle arching the end of the body and the end of the chamber extending through the body, thereby allowing the feeding of a portion of a bight of chain through the body. Also to provide the shackle with means for receiving and holding a chain end.

A further object is to provide an oscillating lever pivotally connected to the body member and having pawl means extending into the chamber of the body and cooperating with the chain therein for imparting a pull on the chain endk within the body; said pawl means forming lock- Aing means for holding the chain against retrograde movement.

A further object is to provideV the oscillating handle with pawls pivoted at opposite sides of the pivotal point of the handle and cooperating with links of the chain whereby a double acting pull is imparted on a chain end. The double Vacting pawls also form holding means for positively holding the chain end against retrograde movement when the operating handle is at the y ends of its movement or in an intermediate position.

A further object is to form the chamber in the body T-shaped in cross section so that the alternate links of the chain will-be guided in planes at right angles to each other. Also to provide the ends of the pawls with recesses adapted to receive the upper sides of the vertical links during the tightening operation.

With the above and other objects in view the JJinvention resides in the combination and `ar-` rangement of parts as hereinafterset forth,

shown in the drawing, described and claimed,

(Cl. 254-74) Y the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective View of the chain tightener showing the handle member in an interrnediateV position.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the chain tightener showing the same with its handle in forward locked position.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the chain 10 tightener showing the methodof feeding a portion of a bight of chain through the body.

Figure 4 is a perspective View of one of the lever dogs.

Referring to the drawing, the numeral I desl5 ignatesthe body of the tightener, and which body is provided with an elongated chamber 2 having at its opposite sides apertured ears v3, to which are pivotally connected the arms Il of the bifurcated handle member 5, which is adapted 20 to be oscillated for imparting an intermittent pull on the chain end 6 in the direction of the arrow a. The other end of the chambered body member I is provided with a boss 'I to the opposite sides of which are pivoted the arms 8 of a chain end 25 receiving shackle 9. The notch I0 is adapted to receive the chain end II and the device as a whole is adapted to tighten a chain around a load on a Vehicle or where ever it is desired to tighten a chain; applicant does not limit himself 30y wardly extending spaced jaws I3 having a groove 35 I4 therebetween and through which groove the vertical links I5 of thechain end 6 slide during the oscillation of the handle member 5.

The dog I2 is pivotally connected at I6 to the handle member 5 to the outside of the pivotal 40 point of the handle member, therefore it will be seen thatkwhen the handle member is moved in thedirection of the arrow b, Figure 2, the jaws I3 of the dog will engage the inner end of one of the horizontal links I 'l as clearly shown in 45 Figure 2, and will impart a pull on the chain end 6 in the direction of the arrow a. Pivotally connected to the arms i of the handle member 5 and below the pivotal point of the handle 5 at i8 is av second dog I9 having jaws 2@ which cooperate 50 with the inner ends of the horizontal links I'I, and it will be seen that upon oscillation of the handle member 5, a pull will be imparted on the chain end Ei alternately upon each oscillation of the handle, thereby providing an intermittent but substantially continuous pull on the chain end. It will be noted that by positioning the pivotal points of the dogs I2 and I9 on opposite sides of the pivotal point of the handle 5 and all of said parts on the same side of the chain end, when the handle is in its forward position as shown inV Figure 2, the strain in a reverse direction on the chain 6 will cause the dogs to positively hold the chain end 6 against retrograde movement; therefore there is a locking device at the forward end of the stroke of the handle. The locking of the handle when in forward position as shown in Figure 2 is caused by the pawls I2 and I9 engaging the inner ends of spaced links with their noses I3 and 20 in engagement with the links and the pivoting of the pawls at I6 and I8 on opposite sides of the pivotal point of the handle. Therefore it will be seen that retrograde strain on the chain end will apply strain to the handle member I2 on opposite sides of its pivotal point, and this strain will be equalized through the pawls I2 and I9 therefore it will be seen that there is a positive holding of the handle against rearward movement. As the handle is oscillated rearwardly, reference being had to Figure 2, it will be noted that the dog I9 will force the chain end in the direction of the arrowa and the dog I2 will ride over the next horizontal link I1, reference being had to Figure 2, until it engages the rear side of the next horizontal link, and when in this intermediate position the chain will be also positively held by the cooperation of both dogs therewith. The holding of the handle 5 in the intermediate position as shown in Figure 1 -is accomplished when the dog noses I3 and 20' are in engagement with the inner ends of adjacent horizontal links I1 and at which time the strain is still applied to the handle member 5 on opposite sides of its pivotal point through the medium of the dogs I2 and I9, all of said parts being located on the same side of the chain. In all of the positions, either forward, intermediate or rear, there is an equalization of strain on the handle at opposite sides of its pivotal point,

-through the dogs and which strain is equalized in relation to the pivotal point hence there is a positive holding of the handle against rearward movement, but freedom for manual movement forwardly at all times.

A further locking position takes place when the handle member 5 is in extreme rear position, and when in such position the dog I9 is in extreme forward position with its pivotal point in a posi-V tion where it has passed through a line between the jaws 20 thereof and the pivotal point of the handle 5. When in this position the chain end 6 is positively held against retrograde movement by the single dog I9, and now the dog I2 is raised out of cooperative relation to the chain by the dog I9 in its forward movement. By providing these various looking positions, it is obvious that a very ne adjustment or tightening may take place, even as low as taking up the slack of a single link.

One of the main difficulties experienced with chain tighteners as at present constructed is that no means is provided whereby a bight of chain may be passed therethrough without the necessity of passing the end of the chain through the device and reeving the entire chain no matter how long, through the device until it assumes the proper position. This is a laborious operation, particularly where the chain is heavy and an impossible one where the chain end is otherwise anchored. To obviate the above difficulty the under side of the body I is provided with an elongated slot 2| in communication with the chamber 2 and extending the full length of the device, as clearly shown in Figure 3, which shows the operation of placing a portion of a bight 22 in the device. When `doingthis the bight is held as shown in Figure 3, and the body I preferably in the vertical position shown, is then passed downwardly over the vertical portion 23 of the chain bight until the upper end of said portion 23 is passed through the end of the body having the shackle 8 attached thereto.

By providing the shackle 8 arching the end of the body member I it will be noted that the chain end may easily feed from the end of the body member on the line of pull. The slot 2| is narrower than the width of the links, hence only the lower portions of the vertical links I5 extend therethrough; the horizontal links being guided by the'walls of the chamber 2.

VFrom the above it will be seen that a chain tightening device is provided which is particularly adapted for use as a load holder or boomer, and that there is a double action during the oscillation of vthe handle member 5, and that said handle member will be held by retrograde strain on the chain end in several positions thereby allowing the taking up of a relatively short amount of slack and obviating the necessity of providn ing separate chain holding means after the chain tightening operation. It will also be seen that a portion of a bight of chain may be passed through the device thereby obviating the necessity of passing the end of the chain through the device, and 3 at the same time allowing the chain tightener to be applied to a chain over a load with its ends anchored and in a manner whereby slack in the chain may be taken up.

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. -A chain tightener comprising a body member having a chain receiving chamber extending entirely therethrough and through one side of the body member throughouty its length thereby allowing a portion of a bight of chain to be passed entirely through the body member and means carried by the body member and cooperating with the chain within the chamber for imparting a pull thereon.

2. A chain tightener comprising a body member having a chain receiving chamber extending entirely therethrough and through one side of the body member throughout its length and forming means whereby a Achain bight may be passed through the body member, means for imparting a pull on a chain within the chamber of the body member, a shackle carried by one end of the body member and arching the end of the chamber and chain end attaching means carried by said shackle. Y

3. A chain tightener comprising a body member having a chain receivingchamber extending entirely therethrough and through one side of the body member throughout its length, an oscillating lever carried by the body member and pivotally connected thereto, a pair of dogs pivoted to the lever at opposite sides of the pivotal point of the lever, said dogs, upon oscillation of the lever, intermittently imparting a pull on a chain in the chamber, said dogs forming locking means for the chain when the lever is in forward, intermediate or rear positions.

' CHARLIE M. LIVINGSTON.

CJI 

